'All Eyes of Korea' to promote Korean culture in London

By Grace Kim

The cultural campaign for Korea has been promoted for three months in London, the city hosting the upcoming summer Olympic Games. The Korea Culture Center in Britain launched "All Eyes on Korea" to offer a wide range of Korean culture in various parts of London, with Southbank Centre, a complex of artistic venues, as the center stage.

The campaign kicked off with the outdoor exhibition "Time after Time" of installation artist Choi Jeong-hwa, which is displayed on the balcony of Hayward Gallery in the Southbank Centre from May 31-Sept. 9. The series of sculptural columns of green baskets show the characteristic of Korean pop art.

Another artist Kim Beom presented "The School of Inversion", his first solo exhibition in Britain, that uses a variety of media, including drawing, video and sculptural installations, to turn conventional norms of a classroom upside down. The display will be held in the same venue through Sept. 2.

Shin Mee-kyoung, renowned for replicating antiquities in household soap, brought back to life the equestrian statue of the Duke of Cumberland in Cavendish Square that was removed in the 19th century. The sculpture recreated in soap will be displayed for a year from July 23.

A series of concerts will be held in Southbank Centre on the last week of July. The pansori performance, a genre of traditional Korean music, by singer Lee Ja-ram will be followed by the collaboration of the country's well-known classical musicians, violinist Sarah Chang and soprano Jo Su-mi, with the Philharmonia Orchestra.

A gala reception titled "Korea Shining Bright", will feature both a fashion show by designer Lie Sang-bong and Korean cuisine on July 30 at the Victoria and Albert Museum. In addition, Korean movies, including silent films, will be shown at a couple theaters in London.

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